Enough
by Lady Dudley
Summary: AU: What if Jackie had been bitten in "Nest of Vipers"?
1. Bitten

**A/N: I watched "Nest of Vipers" the other day and thought it might have been interesting if someone on the team had been bitten. The only way I could think of for it to happen within the episode would be if Jackie went with Michael to get Christine Gray's statement. Most of what follows is then what happened to Christine in the episode (except I chose to ignore the whole "tampering with the anitdote" part). Some of the dialogue is from a two-part _Blue Heelers_ episode ("Mad Dogs and Englishmen" and "Under Seige"). Hope you enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**_Enough_  
**

"There she is," Jackie looked up to where Michael was pointing and saw Christine Gray making her way towards them, her dog in her arms. "Come on," Michael commanded as he got out of the car.

Jackie tried to keep her grumbling to herself as she was left to lock the car and follow the pair of them into the house. She was unable, however, to stop herself from pulling a face behind Michael's back as he asked her to feed Christine's dog while he took her statement.

Mumbling unkind things under her breath about Michael and women she went to cupboard and pulled out the bag of dog food, smiling down at the eager dog as she did so. "Hungry are you boy?" she asked, moving into the kitchen where Christine had indicated his dog dish was kept.

Opening the bag she dipped her hand inside for the measuring cup, she yelped in fright as her hand met with something sharp and she pulled her hand abruptly out of the bag, dropping it in the process. Dog food went flying around the kitchen and she felt her blood run cold when she spotted a snake slither out of the dropped packet.

She looked up as Michael and Christine came rushing into the kitchen to find out what the commotion was about. They both stared down in horror at the snake, before looking up at her.

"Michael," she said with forced calm, "I think I've been bitten."

Michael's face went white and Jackie absently reflected that at any other time she would have found the sight amusing. She was brought back from her musings by Christine, "Quick, we've got to get her to the hospital," she said urgently, scooping up her dog and then moving to help Jackie out of the room.

"Take off your tie, Michael, and form a tourniquet here," Christine ordered, indicating the spot on Jackie's arm. Michael hurried to follow out her instructions, Christine turned to Jackie, "Jackie, it's important that you move as little as possible, do you understand?" Jackie nodded as she watched Michael wrap his tie tightly around her upper arm. Once he had finished Christine ushered Jackie out the door, Michael followed close on their heels.

"We should stop at Cosco's on the way," Christine said once they were all safely in the car, "the anti-venom's there."

Michael nodded absently as he shot through the traffic, breaking several road laws in his haste. He looked at the two women through the revision mirror, "She will be all right won't she?" he asked.

Christine nodded, but the look in her eyes made him step on the accelerator with more force.

Even with the short stop off at Cosco they made it to the hospital in record time and Michael could do nothing except watch as Jackie was whisked away on a gurney. He ran a hand across his mouth, trying not to think about how weak she'd become on the drive to the hospital and how vulnerable she had looked as they took her away.


	2. The Hospital

"Well?" Taggart demanded as he strode into the hospital ward.

"They've given her the anti-venom, she should be fine," Michael told him, failing to keep the concern from his tone.

"Someone should stay with her until she's recovered," Taggart said, looking through the window to where Jackie lay. He glanced at Michael, "Find a uniform, I need you on the case," Taggart continued before Michael could protest, "there's nothing you can do for her," he added, softening his tone slightly.

Michael gave a reluctant nod and the two men turned to leave when they were stopped by the sound of sirens going off in Jackie's room. Both men turned to find her convulsing on the bed.

"Nurse!" Taggart barked as he and Michael rushed back to the window.

Michael would have gone into the room but he was pushed back by hospital staff as they rushed in to attend her.

Taggart made a half-hearted attempt to move Michael away, but gave up and stood with him as they watched them inject something into Jackie's drip. After a few more agonising moments her convulsing stopped and she lay still.

Taggart felt Michael tense beside him as the doctor stepped out of the room. "She's had an allergic reaction to the antidote, nothing to be worried about," he assured them, "we've given her some antihistamine and adrenaline, along with a sedative to help her to relax. She should be fine now," he added.

"That's what you said before," Michael muttered.

Taggart chose to ignore him and noted that the doctor did the same, "Thanks for your help, Doctor, we'll come back when she's awake," he said. The doctor nodded and, with a final glance at Michael, left.

"You can't blame yourself for this, Michael," Taggart said, leading the way out of the hospital.

"I shouldn't have made her feed that bloody dog," Michael said bitterly.

"Makes no difference, Michael, there still would have been a victim," Taggart told him.

"That doesn't make me feel any better, sir," Michael told him as they left the hospital.

"Michael, the doctor isn't worried, you shouldn't be either," Taggart counselled as they got into the car.

"This is Jackie we're talking about, sir, I can't help it," Michael confessed, starting the engine.

"Aye, I suppose you can't," Taggart conceded as they drove off.


	3. Blood

"Ah, Detective Sergeant Jardine," Michael turned to find the doctor from before coming towards him, "I trust you're here about your colleague."

Michael nodded, "Has she woken up yet?"

The doctor shook his head, "Not yet, but it shouldn't be too long now."

"Do you mind if, ah," Michael cleared his throat, "if I go in and sit with her?"

The doctor gave him an understanding smile, "Of course not," he replied, indicating for Michael to go in.

Michael took a steadying breath before entering the room; taking the nearby seat he regarded her for a few moments. Almost without thinking he reached out and took her hand, "Come on Jackie, you need to fight this off, you can't leave me with Jim Taggart," he joked with a small smile.

He started a little as she smiled softly and opened her eyes, "Can't have that now can we?" she teased, a little groggily.

Michael favoured her with a relieved smile, "How are you feeling?"

Jackie shrugged, "I've been better," she confessed lightly.

Michael smiled and was about to comment when he noticed that she was bleeding.

"What is it?" she asked noticing his concerned expression.

"Your eye is bleeding," he said, starting to stand in order to get a nurse.

Jackie opened her mouth to reply, only no words came out, just a rush of blood.

Michael was certain that the look of agonised terror on her face would stay with him for a long time as he rushed out of the room to find help.

As the doctor and a couple of nurses rushed into the room, Michael slumped into one of the chairs outside, burying his head in his hands.

And that was how Taggart found him, a couple of hours later. Michael looked up at him as he approached and Jim was struck by how worn out he looked, "She's got internal bleeding," Michael whispered.

Taggart closed his eyes briefly, unwilling to believe that he could lose one of his officers to a snake bite of all things.


	4. You Stayed

"We've managed to stop the bleeding, only time will tell," the doctor told them.

Jim nodded, finding it ironic that for once he was the calm one whilst Michael looked liable to punch something. "Thank you," he said quietly, the doctor nodded and moved off.

"This time he made no promises," Michael observed.

"He probably feels he's made enough," Jim replied, turning to join Michael at the window to Jackie's room.

"I'd better go home to Jean, she'll want to know what's happening with Jackie," Jim continued after a moment.

Michael nodded, "I think I'll stay here for a bit longer."

Taggart nodded, both men knowing Michael was likely to stay there all night. With a final word of goodbye, Taggart left. Michael waited until he was out of sight before he slipped into Jackie's room.

He pulled the chair up close to her bedside and took her hand in his. "You've got to stop scaring me like this, Jackie," he told her, "do you hear me? Stop messing around and wake up, please Jackie. I need you," he whispered.

He blinked back his tears, knowing that it was true. He did need her and if she were to die...well, he didn't know what he would do. "I love you Jackie," he whispered.

At some point after his confession Michael must have fallen asleep as he found himself awakened some time later by Jackie's hand moving in his. Wiping the sleep from his eyes with his free hand he lifted his head blearily. He was greeted by Jackie slowly opening her eyes and looking around her.

Her eyes settled on Michael and she smiled.

"Hey you," she whispered, her throat raspy from lack of use.

"Hey yourself," he replied, giving her a relieved smile of his own.

Jackie glanced at all the discarded coffee cups that littered the small table by her bed, "You've been here a while," she observed, still a little groggy.

"Taggart was here too," Michael told her, "even McVitie and Stephen dropped by at one point."

Jackie looked up at him, "But you stayed."

Michael nodded, "Yeah, I stayed," he agreed softly.

She regarded him for a long moment, "Why don't you go home, I'm going to be fine now. You need your rest," she told him.

Michael gave her a hard look, "Don't be stupid, Jackie, I'm fine." He raised an eyebrow, "Or are you sick of me all ready?" he teased.

Jackie shook her head with a smile, "No." She paused, remembering something vaguely about blood, "How close did I come to dying?" she asked quietly.

Michael dropped her hand and looked away, "Too close," he murmured.

"I'm sorry," she told him, she wasn't sure what for but she just felt she should apologise. He looked up and smiled at her, taking her hand in both of his as he did so.

Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she knew that this should all mean something important: his sitting there with her and holding her hand, but at the moment she was too tired to try and figure it out.

Just his being there was enough.


End file.
